Mineral Fork
Notice the remains of all the trees that were mowed down over the
winter.
Also, notice the plants in the foreground,
they have been drinking rust-filled water from the Wasatch Mine,
and they themselves have become rust-filled
A seemingly climable wall along the way, high upon the ridge above.
Where two avalanche paths meet.
Every tree in the way of the avalanche,
has been stripped of it's leaves and branches and combed over like
hair.
Junior, before the main snowfield.
Above the snowfield looking north toward Wildcat Ridge,
and Mount Raymond.
Mount Raymond and Gobbler's Knob
The ridge in the foreground is a ridge leading up to Kessler Peak.
A close up of Gobbler's Knob
The Wasatch Mine.
I wonder why the water is so saturated with rust,
Is there rotting machinery? or is there lots of iron ore inside?
If it is rusting machinery, the UDNR should clean it up,
OR change the rules about bringing dogs into the canyon.
You can't bring dogs because they need to protect the water,
but I don't think that's why.
The only way for a dog to affect the water,
is if they aren't filtering or cleaning it before it reaches us,
and if they aren't filtering the water, then you are probably drinking
deer fecies and urine.
This mine shows that they aren't really that concerned about the water.
Besides, hikers pee everywhere,
and they are more diseased than most dogs.
The Wasatch Mine from the north side of the Canyon,
looking at the beginning of the switchbacks before the Regulator Johnson
Mine.
This ridge made me think that this was the Reed and Benson ridge,
but it isn't, it's the ridge behind Kessler Peak,
that connects to another ridge before connecting with Cottonwood Ridge
at Superior Peak.
The Granite Ridge.
Junior walking over a log bridge on the way back down Mineral Fork.
The trail down Mineral Fork, looking north toward Wildcat Ridge.
It's a myth that dogs are cleaner than people. Sorry.
And people can be trained to leave their waste far from the water, dogs really can't.
Chrisopher Strong
SLC, UT
2006-08-04
The water from the mine is rusty because there is a high concentration of iron oxide in the black rocks all though mineral fork. See those orange spots on the rock? That's rust.
Hydrogen Sulfide gas comes up naturally from the ground into that mine, that's why it has "bad air". The H2S gas mixes with water in the mine to make H2SO4, which is sulfuric acid. The acid attacks the rock and pulls out the iron.
Dave Merrill
SLC, Utah
2005-04-21
To Travis above, I may have met your dad or grandpa up on the "dump" in the early 80s. I was a member of MCU (mineral collectors of Utah) back then and was approached by an "old timer" who asked alot of questions about what I thought was present in the material there. Later he told me he had the patent on this mine, and I felt he knew alot more than me! Sulfides abound there, Iron (Pyrite) and Lead (Galena) color and taint the water. The road up to the mine washed out, also in the early 80's (and the gate put up at the mouth of the canyon). Neat to meet you here, Dave
Travis
SLC/Ut
2004-09-27
Yea I am in total agreement that they should allow dogs up Big Cottonwood Cannyon. Its stupid that they dont allow it b/c of "Watershed" but they filter the water and if we get ground water (like Murray, UT) does then its naturally filtered and then we refilter it adding chemicals that could possible harmful to us.
My great grandpa had/owned a lease on that mine and mined it, my grandpa and dad helped him. They both say it was quite an experiance. I wish i could go in there...
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